There may not be an NTT IndyCar Series event this weekend, but it wasn’t an off-weekend for some of the series’ brightest stars.
Five full-time IndyCar competitors competed in Saturday’s 67th running of the Twelve Hours of Sebring, America’s oldest endurance race and the second event of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Alexander Rossi, sharing the No. 7 Acura DPI for Team Penske with Ricky Taylor and Hélio Castroneves, was the highest-finishing IndyCar regular, finishing fourth overall. 2016 IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud’s run in the No. 6 DPI for Penske helped the team finish ninth.
Fourth was all the ole girl had today. Great execution by everyone on the #7 stand to recover from a tough start. Thanks to @acura, @team_penske and my awesome teammates @rickytaylorrace and @heliocastroneves pic.twitter.com/LRvAYcwapv
— Alexander Rossi (@AlexanderRossi) March 17, 2019
Sébastien Bourdais, in the No. 66 Ford GT for Chip Ganassi Racing, hit the podium with a second-place finish in GTLM. Bourdais shared driving duties with Dirk Mueller and Joey Hand, who took the checkered flag behind the wheel.
Defending IndyCar champ Scott Dixon was part of the No. 67 Ford GT team’s sixth place in GTLM (15th place overall). Dixon shared the car with Richard Westbrook and former IndyCar veteran Ryan Briscoe.
Finishing just behind the No. 67 was the No. 25 Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan BMW of Tom Blomqvist, Connor De Phillippi and IndyCar rookie Colton Herta. The Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona champions couldn’t make it back-to-back victories, as the team finished the race seventh in GTLM and 17th overall.
Though no IndyCar drivers found their way to victory lane Saturday night at Sebring, they still proved that they know how to compete with the IMSA regulars.
Rossi, Pagenaud, Bourdais and Herta each set the fastest laps for their respective teams.
Next weekend, all five drivers will return to work at their day jobs, as the NTT IndyCar Series roars into Austin, Texas, for the inaugural IndyCar Classic at the Circuit of the Americas. Coverage will begin Sunday, March 24 at 1 pm ET on NBCSN.